Bassmaster Elite brings in $1M for Georgetown economy

GEORGETOWN, SC (WBTW) – The Bassmaster Elite tournament wrapped up in Georgetown on Sunday, but county officials say they will feel its economic impact for a while.

Around 80 of the world’s best anglers competed in the fishing tournament from Thursday to Sunday, and thousands of visitors traveled to Georgetown to watch.

Georgetown County Administrator Sel Hemingway says area businesses benefited from the tournament.

“The direct impact of filling up the hotel rooms and the restaurants and the gas stations and everything that comes along with having that many visitors in town, it’s tremendous.

County officials expect the Bassmaster Elite will generate around $1 million in revenue for the area, and possibly help bring more visitors in the future.

“It just makes anglers all over the country and all over the world want to fish in the same fisheries that these professionals are,” Hemingway said.

“Ultimately then we have visitors that relate to (the tournament), that turns into recurring vacationers or even people who decide to move here,” Hemingway said.

Hemingway says there is a wide range of fishing that can be done in Georgetown which is what makes the spot unique compared to other places.

“We’ve got both freshwater and saltwater accessibility here. As a matter of fact, out of this same marine complex here, we hosted a freshwater bass tournament this week, and two weeks away we’re holding an IFA redfish tournament,” Hemingway said.

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